Raspberry Cinnamon Muffins
by sugarkid
Summary: Based on the prompt by yousuchcock on tumblr, Ruby visits Belle in Storybrooke's hospital and ends up getting more than she bargained for. (Frankenwolf)


Ruby hated the smell of hospitals, for they sent her wolf senses into overdrive. All of that blood, combined with all of those people in such a confined space, mixed in with the potent scent of chemicals burned the back of her throat and made her eyes water. Even during the wars, when she fought to defend Snow and Charming's castle, she had never been able to stand the smell of death and disease that came so strongly from the medical camps. It was not just for Belle's benefit that she had packed spiced muffins into her care basket, though she knew better than to mention it.

Ruby was surprised they even let her see the girl, considering it hadn't gone so well the last time. Belle had been dosed up on morphine and all kinds of other things and taken from the room before she could really talk to her. Belle had been to hell and back over the past few days and quite rightly was in pieces as a result. Still, Ruby knew better than anyone that the best medicine for a frightened girl in her shoes was a friend and before stepping into the visitor's lounge, she took a deep breath and picked up the sweet cinnamon aroma of the muffins. It masked the smell of death and misery that clung to every brick and window for just long enough that she was able to step through the door with an enormous smile on her face.

Belle looked awful, anyone could see it. She was sitting in front of the television with a blank expression, completely different from the chirpy girl who spent all of her money on iced tea. For a brief moment Ruby wanted to cry, but she bit her bottom lip and instead walked right over to greet her.

"Hey," she said, hoping her smile was convincing. "It's me again."

Belle turned away from the television somewhat reluctantly and returned the smile.

"Hello. I wasn't sure you would come."

"Of course I would," said Ruby, sitting down next to her. "And look! I brought muffins!"

Belle stared at the contents of her basket as if they might burn her and Ruby pulled back the blanket covering, sighing on the inside as the comforting smell of cinnamon became more distinct.

"_He_ said you'd come," said Belle, lifting one of the muffins and sniffing it. "He told me that's the type of person you are."

Ruby raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about? Do you mean David…the Sheriff's assistant?"

Belle shook her head.

"Dr Whale," she said, motioning to the open door. "He's over there right now."

She giggled.

"He keeps looking at you."

Ruby blushed and turned to the doorway, noticing him scribbling notes at the desk outside for the first time since her arrival. The second she turned to look at him, he immediately turned away and looked a great deal more invested in whatever it was he was writing, something that prompted Belle to laugh even harder.

"I think he likes you," she said and Ruby felt her cheeks go from a faint pink to a bright red more fitting of her name. "Are you guys dating?"

"I…" she stammered. "He…we…"

She glared out of the doorway, thinking that if they had been in the diner she could have smelled him right away and been aware of him approaching. She could have prepared herself, rather than being overwhelmed by whatever cleaning fluid they had used to mop the floors. It bothered her that he had taken her so completely off guard.

Whale stopped scribbling and looked across at her. For a moment their eyes met across the corridor before he broke it and turned away, appearing quite nervous.

"He said that if I wanted you to come and read to me, all I had to do was ask," Belle said as Whale grabbed some random file from the desk and retreated into the mass of hospital staff. "Day or night."

Ruby hated hospitals. She hated the smells, the sound of crying in the corridors and the cheap paintings on the walls. Still, she agreed to visit Belle each night before she went to bed, reading a chapter at a time of _The Mysterious Island_. It was worth it for the contented expression across Belle's face as she tucked her up for the night and the peaceful way she sometimes fell asleep mid chapter.

Ruby wasn't sure what entertained the girl more; Ruby's reading or the fact that they never made it through the entirety of a chapter without an impromptu check-up from Dr Whale.


End file.
